ZAGREB, Feb 28 (Hina) - Croatia's Ministry of Interior Affairs on Sunday said it was unpleasantly surprised at Saturday's statement of the Slovene Interior Ministry on recent events in the Bay of Piran. On Sunday, the Croatian
Ministry public relations office issued a s statement responding to Slovene claims about positions of Slovene fishing boats and police vessel during yesterday's incident in the Bay of Piran where the sea border between Croatia and Slovenia has been a moot point. Recalling previous agreements on the territorial waters reached between Croatian and Slovenian Foreign Ministers, the statement of the Croatian Interior Ministry said the Slovene fishing boats and police vessel violated the Croatian territorial waters. The Ministry explained the agreement on the matter was available to them in order that the local police in Pula could act in line with the deal. The Minis
ZAGREB, Feb 28 (Hina) - Croatia's Ministry of Interior Affairs on
Sunday said it was unpleasantly surprised at Saturday's statement
of the Slovene Interior Ministry on recent events in the Bay of
Piran.
On Sunday, the Croatian Ministry public relations office issued a s
statement responding to Slovene claims about positions of Slovene
fishing boats and police vessel during yesterday's incident in the
Bay of Piran where the sea border between Croatia and Slovenia has
been a moot point.
Recalling previous agreements on the territorial waters reached
between Croatian and Slovenian Foreign Ministers, the statement of
the Croatian Interior Ministry said the Slovene fishing boats and
police vessel violated the Croatian territorial waters.
The Ministry explained the agreement on the matter was available to
them in order that the local police in Pula could act in line with
the deal.
The Ministry added a Slovene police boat had accompanied the
Slovene fishing boats while they had been in the Croatian
territorial waters on Saturday.
According to the Croatian Interior Ministry, from 10.50 am to 08.35
pm Saturday, three Slovene fishing boats and one police vessel
violated the Croatian territorial waters 11 times - the fishing
boats did that three times while the police boat did that eight
times.
Every time, Pula policemen cautioned them that they had entered the
Croatian territorial waters.
Following the agreement between the two Foreign Ministers on the
avoidance of incidents in the disputable areas, the commander of
the Pula coastal police phoned the Slovene police station in Piran
requesting to contact their commander. Unfortunately, he could not
come in touch with the Piran police commander who was being on a
vacation. After asking to contact a deputy commander, he was told
that he neither could talk with the deputy commander who was not on
duty since it was not a working day, the statement said.
The Croatian Interior Ministry said the Pula coastal police would
continue controlling the territorial waters of Croatia in the Bay
of Piran.
(hina) ms